Gift Shop

Stocked with one-of-a-kind Guatemala souvenirs, artistic treasures as well as basic necessities, our new and expanded gift shop provides you a glimpse of Guatemala, featuring locally-made hand-carved and painted masks alongside handmade ceramics and textiles. Additionally, we offer a wide variety of huipils (see below for more info) bought directly from weavers in small Guatemalan villages.

What in the world is a Huipil?The huipil (wee-peel) is not only a functional component of a Mayan woman’s wardrobe, but also doubles as a collection of symbols representing her family, religion, village and social status. Worn everyday, the huipils are woven to last as long as thirty years. Special huipils are also made for ceremonial dress. Women in colder climates often wear a sobrehuipil over their primary huipil to keep warm. After a huipil eventually begins to wear and fray, it is often cut into sections that then are woven back together into a large piece of fabric, in which it continues to testify to the extraordinary weaving tradition of its culture.